Weed-cutter.



PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

J. T. SHORT. WEED CUTTER. APPLICATION FILED JAN.30, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

J. T. SHORT.

WEED CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED mmso, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WEED-CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

Application filed anuary 30, 1996. Serial No. 298.657.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN T. SHORT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rossville, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l/Veed-Cutters, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to agricultural implements in general, and moreparticularly to an improved form of weed-cutter.

The weed-cutter as constructed by me comprises, essentially, a frameworkhaving two horizontally-rotating cutters mounted therein, said cuttersbeing located abreast of each other and being adapted to be adjustedvertically independent of each other.

The object of the invention is to so design the weed-cutter that it canbe cheaply con structed out of the ordinary forms of structural metaland so that it will be effective and durable in operation.

For a full description of the invention and.

the merits thereof and also ,to acquire a knowledge of the details ofconstruction of the means for effecting the result reference is to behad to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of the weedcutter. Fig. 2 is a top planview of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a detailperspective view of one of the rearwardlyextending frames, and Fig. 5 isa similar view of one of the plates employed in connecting thecultivating-shovels to the frames.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

In its simple'form the invention comprises, essentially, an axle mountedupon wheels and having a pair of rearwardly-extending frames pivotallyconnected thereto, said frames being adapted to be moved up and downinclependently of each other and being each provided with rotarycutters.

The numeral 1 designates the axle, which is bent upwardly and arched atan intermediate point, as seen at 2. A beam 3 is connected to the top ofthe arch 2 and is held in a rigid position with relation thereto bymeans of the forwardly-extending oblique braces 4, which connect thebeam to the axle 1 and are secured to the latter adjacent to thevertical portions of the arch. A wheel 5 of any conventionalconstruction is mounted upon each end of the axle 1, and each of thewheels is provided on its inner face with a sprocket 6, which is shownas held in place by means of the hook-bolts 7, which engage with thespokes. A rearwardly-extending frame 8 is pivotally connected to theaxle, at each end thereof, and for this purpose bearings 9 are provided,which are formed in two sections fitting around the axle between thewheel and the oblique braces 4 and held to gether by means of a bolt orother suitable fastening means. Each of these bearings 9 is formed witha block or extension 10, to which the frame 8 is secured.

In the preferred form of the invention, as shown in the drawings, theframes 8 are formed of a single strip of bar metal, which is bent so asto have .an approximately rectangular shape and has its ends secured toopposite sides of the blocks 10, projecting from the bearings 9.However, the essential feature of the frames resides in the two spacedside pieces, between which the rotary cutters 11 are mounted, and theparticular shape of the frames is immaterial. It will be observed thatthe outer side pieces of each of the frames extend directly back fromthe block 10, while the inner side pieces project inwardly toward eachother. The horizontal rotating cutters 11 are mounted upon blocks '12,secured to the lower edges of the side pieces of the frame. In order toenable the blocks 12 to be readily secured in position, the side piecesof the frames8 are formed of two spaced strips of metal, which areseparated by means of strips of wood 13. In securing the blocks 12 tothe side pieces bolts 14 are employed, which pass through the blocks andthe wooden strips 13 in the sides of the frames. The lower faces of theblocks are preferably protected by means of metal plates 15, and similarplates 16 are placed upon the upper portion of the side pieces.

The hub 17 of each of the cutters 11 is provided with a series of radialarms 18, which have their extremities bent slightly forward andconnected to the cutting-blades 19. It will be observed that thesecutting-blades 19 are bent longitudinally to a slight extent, so thatthe edges thereof have a sliding contact with the weeds, and theeffectiveness of the cutter is thereby greatly increased. The axles 20upon each of the hubs 17 are 1nounted to project outwardly through theoutside block 12 on each of the frames 8 and are provided with sprockets21, which are preferably smaller than the sprockets 6. These twosprockets on each side of the machine are connected by means of a chain22,- andthe sprockets preferably bear such a relation to each other thatthe cutters will make-three revolutions for every revolution of thewheels, although this is immaterial and maybe changed to suit therequirements of various conditions. It will thus be seen that when themachine is drawn over the field the motion of the wheels 5 istransmitted to the cutters 11v through the chains 22.

In order to provide for the vertical adjustment of the frames 8, a lever23 of the bellcrank type is pivoted upon each side of the beam 3, andone arm of each of the levers is connected by means of a link 24 to thecorresponding frame 8. When thus adjusted,

\ each of the frames 8 can be movedup or down by operating thecorresponding lever 23, and this movement of each ofthe frames is indeendent of the opposite frame. Racks 25 are coated upon the beam 3, so asto engage with the levers 23 and lock them in the desired position. Acultivating tooth or shovel 26 is connected to each of the frames 8, andthe shank bearing the shovel is provided with a series of openings whichadmit of its vertical adjustment with respect to the frame. Theseshovels are preferably secured to the inner sides of each of the framesnear the forward end thereof, and for this purpose lates 27 areprovided. These plates 27 are formed with four flanges, the upper andlower flanges being bent so as to embrace the top and bottom of the sidepieces of the frame and prevent-any rotary movement of the plates, whilethe s ide flanges are bent outward and engage with the shank 28, towhich the cultivating-shovel 26 is attached to prevent the same fromturning. It will be observed that the same bolt by means of which thelink 24 is secured to frame is employed in I connecting the shank 28thereto, and this feature tends to simplify the construction, andthereby increase the durability of the machine.

In order to prevent any horizontal move- I ment of the frames 8, bracemembers 29 are provided, which connect the inner corner of each of theframes to the axle 1, the ends of the braces in engagement with theaxlebeing looped to form an eye, and preferably fitting against the lowerend of the oblique braces 4.

The machine is intended to be attached to a cultivator by means of thebeam 3, and

when so connected it will be readily understood that both of the cutterscan be lifted sition when desired. Another advantageous feature residesin the fact that the machine may be employed with equal facility eitherupon planted or listed corn.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is j 1. In adevice of the character described, the combination of an axle, a wheelmounted upon each end of the axle, a frame pivotally connected to theaxle, the sides of the frame being formed of spaced strips of metalseparated by a wooden strip, a rotary cutter mountedfbetween the sidesof the frame, and means for transmitting motion from the wheels to therotary cutter. Y

'2. In adevice of the character described, the combination of an axlehaving its middle portion arched, a wheel mounted upon each end oftheaxle, a bearing secured to each end of the axle, arearwardly-extending frame connected 1 to each bearing, the outer sidepiece-of each. frame extending directly to the rear from the bearinwhile the inner side ieces project inwardly toward each other, bracemembers connecting the inner corners of each of the frames to the axle,a rotating cutter mounted within each frame, and means for transmittingmotion from the wheels to the rotating cutters.

3. In a. device of the character described, the combination of an axle,a wheel mounted upon each end of the axle, a frame pivotally connectedto the axle, the sides of the frame being formed of spaced strips ofmetal separated by a wooden strip, a block secured to each side of theframe by means of fastening members passing through the before-mentionedwooden strips, a rotary cutter mounted between the blocks, and means fortransmitting motion from the wheels to the rotary cutter.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of an axle, awheel mounted upon each end of the axle, a frame pivotally connected tothe axle, the sides of the frame being formed of spaced strips of metalseparated by a wooden strip, a block secured to each side of the frameby means of fasteningmembers passing through the before-mentioned woodenstrip, a rotary cutter mounted between the blocks, means fortransmitting motion from the wheels to the rotary cutter, and means forvertically adjusting the frame.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of an axle, awheel mounted u on each end of the axle, a bearing pivota ly connectedto the axle at each end thereof, a frame connected to each of thebearings, said frames being formed by bending a single strip of metalupon itself, the ends of the strips being secured to the bearings,blocks secured to the side ieces of the frame, rotary cutters mountedetween the blocks, and

means for transmitting motion from the 1 wheels to the rotary cutters.

6. In a device of the character described,

the combination of an axle having its middle portion arched, a beamsecured to the arch, oblique braces connecting the beam to the axle, awheel mounted upon each end of the axle, a bearing pivotally connectedto the axle near each end thereof, a rearwardly-extending frameconnected to each bearing, said frames being formed of a single strip ofmaterial by bending the latter upon itself and securing the ends thereofto the bearing, blocks secured to the side pieces of the frames, arotary cutter mounted between the opposite blocks upon each of theframes, means for transmitting motion from the wheels to the rotarycutters, and a lever secured to each side of the beam and operating toraise or lower the frame upon the corresponding side of the machine.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of an axlehaving its middle portion arched, a beam secured to the arched portion,oblique braces connecting the beam to the axle, a wheel mounted uponeach end of the axle, a sprocket secured to each wheel, a bearingpivotally connected to the axle near each end thereof,rearwardly-extending frames connected to each bearing, each of saidframes being formed of a single strip of material which is bent uponitself, and the sides of the frames being formed of spaced metal stripsseparated by a wooden strip, blocks connected to the sides of the frameby means of fastening members which pass through the before-mentionedwooden strips, a rotary cutter mounted between the opposite blocks uponeach frame, a sprocket connected to each of the rotary cutters, a chainconnecting the sprocket upon each wheel to the sprocket upon thecorresponding rotary cutter,a lever mounted upon each side of the beam,and a link connecting each lever to the corresponding frame, wherebyeach of the frames can be vertically adjusted independently of theopposite frame.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN T. SHORT. WVitnesses:

H. M. FoUsT, ROBERT CATLEE.

